What is a Legal Secretary

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Fancy having a career as a legal secretary? A legal secretary is a solicitor or a barrister’s righteous right-hand. Legal secretaries ensure that the office runs as swiftly as possible. Without them, life in the office would end up a chaotic disaster.

First of all, you will need a law degree. No degree? Don’t worry because a recognized legal qualification will do the trick. You can obtain a qualification through completing core courses such as:

  • The CILEx Legal Secretary course- This course can be taken at Level 2 or Level 3 depending on your current experience. The former is designed for those with no prior secretarial experience while the latter is designed for those who are already a secretary and wishing to build upon their current skills.
  • The CPD Legal Secretary Course– This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the UK legal system. It is highly recommend for those wanting to enter the law industry in a support role as it is well-recognized in the legal world.

Once you’ve obtained a qualification, you will be one step closer to becoming a legal secretary.

All you need now are the practical skills and abilities which you may already possess. In particular:

  • Microsoft Office skills – As a legal secretary, you are not required to be super tech-savvy but you should be able to use Microsoft Word and Microsoft powerpoint to a good standard. This is because legal documents must be produced and presented electronically.
  • Attention to detail – Legal documents must be immaculate, therefore legal secretaries must be able to proofread, pinpoint errors and correct them. Any errors can cause significant problems for the business.

 

  • Touch-typing – The ability to touch-type and audio touch-type quickly and accurately is key to many professions. You won’t need to constantly look back and forth between the keyboard and screen. Instead, you’ll be able to relax your eyes, neck and mind. Most importantly, you will be more productive during the day.
  • Time-keeping – Balancing your personal and work life is already hard enough so imagine having to take care of your employer’s work life too. Mind-blowing? Right, so it is essential to manage your time by diarising to keep in control of things, to meet strict deadlines and to not let work pile up to the point where things become too much to handle.
  • Client-care skills – When dealing with clients on behalf of your boss, you must be able to uphold a personable and positive attitude at all times. You don’t want to upset a potential client and lose business for the company. Keep a client happy and you’ll have a client for life.

CPD Legal Secretary Courses London

If you have the skills but not the qualifications, click on the relevant links above which will transfer you to the sites to apply for the courses. With the right qualification and the rights skills, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a legal secretary.